Aouns statements cause diplomatic crisis with Baghdad

Aoun’s statements cause diplomatic crisis with Baghdad

BEIRUT — During an interview with the Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed (New Arab), Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said, “We will not replicate the experience of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in absorbing Hezbollah into the [Lebanese] army, nor will it be an independent unit within this army,” stressing that “the decision was made to restrict arms to the state.”

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry immediately summoned Ali al-Habhab, the Lebanese ambassador to Baghdad, to express its “displeasure” with Aoun’s statements.

Iraqi Assistant Foreign Minister for Bilateral Relations Mohammed Bahr al-Ulum noted that “the PMF is an important part of the military security system in Iraq, and it is a governmental and legal institution and part of the Iraqi state system.”

Bahr al-Ulum added that what the Lebanese president said was “not appropriate”. It would have been more appropriate not to make a comparison in this regard or “use an official Iraqi institution as an example in this context,” he noted.

However, sources revealed that contacts are underway between Baghdad and Beirut in reconstructing Lebanon following the September-November U.S.-led Israeli aggression on Lebanon under the management of the Lebanese government.

It was also reported that Baghdad is considering requesting Lebanon to deposit the debt it owes for purchasing Iraqi fuel to operate Lebanese power plants in the Banque du Liban, and later announce the donation to the reconstruction fund.

Economic observers, however, have seriously warned that the Lebanese government might agree only to write off these debts and then use the unavailability of funds as an excuse; hence, the funds will not be disbursed to those affected by the aggression, in compliance with orders from Washington to freeze the reconstruction process.

Aoun’s disregard for Iraq’s sovereign affairs constitutes a violation of his pledge during his inaugural address to Parliament.

He said, “My pledge is to establish the best relations with our sister Arab countries, based on the fact that Lebanon is Arab in its affiliation and identity, and to build strategic partnerships with the countries of the Levant, the Arabian Gulf, and North Africa, to prevent any conspiracy against their regimes and sovereignty, and to practice a policy of positive neutrality.” 

Nevertheless, his recent statements do not align with this so-called claim of “positive neutrality.” Rather, they constitute a “negative bias,” which not only harms Lebanon’s relations with friendly countries, especially Iraq, which has always maintained the best fraternal ties with Lebanon.

Following the 2019 economic crisis caused by a pro-U.S. corrupt oligarchy, Baghdad sent convoys of trucks loaded with oil, wheat, and food aid.

Iraqi hospitals and medical institutions did the same following the 2020 Beirut port explosion and the Pager and Walkie-Talkie massacres in September 2024.

Baghdad also did not hesitate to provide all necessary services to the displaced during the recent Israeli aggression, providing shelter, food, and essential supplies. These humanitarian moves coincided with the Iraqi government’s support for the resistance’s right to defend Lebanon against Israel.

The widespread Iraqi’ participation in the funeral for the two assassinated Hezbollah secretaries-general, Sayyed Nasrallah and Safi al-Din, was striking.

This is not Aoun’s first slip of the tongue!

During the extraordinary Arab summit for Palestine, in Cairo, he also said: “When Beirut is occupied, Damascus is destroyed, Amman is threatened, Baghdad groans, or Sana’a falls... it is impossible for anyone to claim that this is in support of Palestine.” 

While uttering these unmeasured remarks, his body language and facial expressions confirm, however, they were not a slip of the tongue, but rather a foreign dictate he was forced to acknowledge.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) says, “No one conceals anything without it being revealed in the slips of his tongue and the expressions on his face.”

source: tehrantimes.com